Well-casing spear.



PATENTED AUG. 25,- 1903.,

UNITED STATES i Patented August 25, 19023? PATENT OEEIcE.

RALPH IRWIN HENDERSON, or oAIRo, wnsfr vincnrm.`

WELL-CASING SPEAR.

SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 737,101-, dated August25, 1903. Application led March 14,1903- Serial No. 147,790. (No model.)I

To all whom 1t-may ooz'wern.:

Be it known that I, RALPH I RwIN HENDER- SON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing vat Cairo, in the county of Ritchie and State of WestVirginia,have invented certain new and useful Improvements inWell-Casing Spears, of which'the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for removing casings from oil and otherwells, and has for its object to provide a device having serrated jawsthat may be held in a non-clamp-l ing position whilebeing lowered intothe well and that may be expanded when it is desired to grab the casingand that is also adapted to be removed from the well should it be foundthat the casing is toofirmly seated.

The advantages of my invention will more fully appear hereinaftenandbyreference to the accompanying drawings, in which- ,y

Figure l is a longitudinalsectional view of a well and casing, showingmy spear therein in elevation; Fig. 2, a longitudinal sectionalV view ofthe spear; Fig. 3, a cross-section on the line no x of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, adetail view of: the trigger and its seat; Fig. 5, a view of a.

fragment of the operating-plunger, showing the trigger-seat.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar reference charactersindicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, A representsthe well, and B the casing contained therein, while C represents thelower end of a drill-jar, in which is secured the shank D of mycasing-spear. Below shank D the spear is reduced, as shown at E, and isformed with outwardly-inclined faces,on which are mounted jaws G. Saidjaws G are formed with a slanting bearing-face G of the same degree asthe slant on sides F and have dovetails g to t into dovetail-slots f inthe faceof inclines F. The fronts of jaws G are provided with a curvedface g', having serrations g1, said serrations consisting of ahorizontal face g"' and an inwardly-slanting face g H represents thecross-head inserted in bores hin jaws G and slidably mounted in slot Iin the reduced portion E, while .I represents a plunger slidably mountedin a vertical borej in the lower end of said reduced portion Ev and inslot I and bearing against cross-head H, K being a nut screwed on thelower end of plunger J, against which bears coil-spring L, inserted intubular extension M of reduced portion E and having a screwthreadedexterior m. v

N, represents the cap-nut having a screwthreaded bore n to fit thescrew-threads m on tubular extension M.

The purpose of cross-head -H, plunger J,

and spring L is to hold the jaws G at the upper part of the inclinedfaces Fand out of engagement with the casing,and it will readily appearthat the tension of spring L may be regulated as desired by tighteningor loosen'- ing the cap-nut N.

In order to hold the plunger J depressed when lowering the spear intothe well, I provide a bolt or trigger O, mounted in a bore P in the sideof reducedportion E. The outer kend of said trigger O is provided with afruslaperture s, through which an instrument may be vinserted to pushlatch o out of bore P.

The operation of myinventiou is as follows: To set the device, firstunscrew cap-nut N, withdraw spring L from tubular extension M, and thusallow plunger J to drop until notch Q is opposite bore P. Then insert anail, awl, or other suitable instrument through aperture s and pushltrigger O against the resilience of spring R until latch o is seated insaid notch' Q. Cap-nut N is then' screwed ontof tubular extension M. Thetension of spring L will hold the bottom q of notch Qin engagement withlatch o and prevent spring R from withdrawing trigger 0. Thiswill permitthe jaws G to drop a shortidistance, suf-` ciently to allow serrations gto bite the inner surface of the tube; but in lowering into the well thefriction against the sides of the casing will keep the jaws raised, sothat the spear has free movement; but when the spear is brought to astandstill thejaws drop, so

IOO

that the serrations bite the casing, and when the spear is raised thejaws are forced farther apart and into the inner surface of the casingby traveling down faces F, thus pushing plunger J downward andpermitting spring R to withdraw trigger O. The casing will thus beraised. Should, however, it be found that the casing cannot be raised,the spear can be released by reversing the motion of the jar C, whichwill Withdraw the jaws G from engagement with the casing B. The spring Lwill then push the plunger .I up until the jaws Gr are at the top ofinclined faces F, when the spear can be removed from the well.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is l. In a well-casingspear having vertically-- movable jaws, and a plunger for operating saidjaws, a trigger for holding said plunger depressed having its end formedwith a frustum-shaped latch, and the plunger having a notch therein withits base formed with a concave surface shaped to t said plunger,slibstantially as shown and described.

2. In a well-casing spear, a shank, a reduced portion below said shankhaving outwardly-inclined faces and avertical slot, said inclined faceshaving dovetailed grooves therein, clamping-jaws having beveled surfacesand dovetails to fit into said grooves and serrated surfaces consistingof horizontal faces and inwardly-inclined faces, a cross- `head mountedin said jaws and the slot in said reduced portion, a tubular portionbelow said reduced portion havingascrew-threaded exterior, a plungermounted in said tubular portion and said slot, a coil-spring bearingagainst the base of said plunger, a nutcap having a screw-threadedrecess to fit the screwthreads on said tubular portion, said reducedportion having a bore therein, a bolt mounted in said bore having afrustum-shaped latch at one end and an enlarged head at the other, aspring bearing between said enlarged head and the end of said bore, andthe plunger provided with a notch having a curved base beveled to fitthe frustum-shaped latch on said bolt, substantially as shown anddescribed.

3. In a well-casing spear, a shank, a reduced portion below said shankhaving outwardly-inclined faces and a vertical slot, said inclined faceshaving dovetailed grooves therein, clamping-jaws having beveled surfacesand dovetails to fit into said grooved and serrated surfaces consistingof horizontal faces and inwardly-inclined faces, a crosshead mounted insaid jaws and the slot in said reduced portion, a tubular portion belowsaid reduced portion having a screw-threaded exterior, a plunger mountedin said tubular portion and said slot, a coil-spring bearing against thebase of said plunger, a nut-cap having a screwthreaded recess to fit thescrew -threads on said tubular portion, a spring-actuated triggermounted on said reduced portion having a frustum-shaped head, and theplunger aforesaid provided with a notch having a curved base beveled tofit the frustum shaped head on the trigger, sub stantially as shown anddescribed.

In testimony whereof I hereto affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

RALPH IRWIN HENDERSON. V'Vitnesses:

J. NEWMAN, F. A. BEST.

